Francis S. Gabreski Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westhampton Bch, New York 11978
Monday, May 25, 1992 14:28 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH DURING THE APPROACH, SO HE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND THEN HE USED FULL FLAPS WHILE ON SHORT FINAL. AFTERWARDS, THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS 80 TO 85 MPH AND THE DESCENT RATE WAS ABOUT 1000 FEET PER MINUTE. ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR, HE EXPECTED THE STUDENT TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE BY ADDING POWER, BUT INSTEAD THE STUDENT BEGAN AN 'EARLY ROUNDOUT.' THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ADVANCED THE THROTTLES; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE ABRUPTLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT BEFORE IT LANDED HARD ABOUT 100 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, ROUGHLY 1000 FEET PAST THE THRESHOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE LANDING FLARE WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1428
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WESTHAMPTON BCH
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11978
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FRANCIS S. GABRESKI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FOK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 67
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID FOK
Elevation of weather observation facility 67
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2061
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 28 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46853
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15109
NTSB Number BFO92LA077
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7350020
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 2204
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DEDALOS FLIGHT SCHOOL
Aircraft Owner Street Address BLDG 309, GABRESKI AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City WESTHAMPTON BCH
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11978
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DEDALOS FLIGHT SCHOOL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BLDG 309, GABRESKI AIRPORT
Operator City WESTHAMPTON BCH
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 11978
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FOK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --